15 Jan 10: An issue that seems likely to arise this year is the so-called “Employee Free Choice Act” (“EFCA”). This Obama-backed legislation would replace secret ballot elections to organize unions with a system wherein each worker’s vote would be public. Currently, privacy of voting protects American workers from harassment for voting against organizing a union in the workplace. The EFCA would allow union organizers, employers and co-workers, to know who is voting for a union and who is not. This leaves those who are voting the “wrong” way to be subject to threats and harassment, both at home and at work.
Another EFCA provision would restrict workers’ rights even more. Rather than both sides (workers and employer) negotiating a mutually agreed upon contract, contract negotiations at newly organized companies would go to the government for arbitration. The contract would be written by a government mediator who is not accountable to either the workers or the employer. The contract would be in force for two years, with no appeal by the workers or the employer even if they do not like it. Workers would not have the opportunity to ratify the contract. Employers would be stuck with the provisions of the contract, even if they think that it could cause bankruptcy. Key company decisions would be given to a government bureaucrat.
Abolishing secret ballots in the workplace and putting government into the actual running of a business is another example of government over-reaching in our lives. The U.S. Constitution does not give the government the authority for these actions. The government has no power to do this unless we allow it by our inaction.
As your Representative in Washington, I will work to stop government interference in the lives of its citizens.